Combined steam engine, compressor, and control therefor



Dec. 26, 1950 H. G. MUELLER 2,535,749

COMBINED STEAM ENGINE, COMPRESSOR, AND CONTROL THEREFOR Original Filed June a, 1945 s Shets-Sheet 1 awe/14M HGTMueZZef' Dec. 26, 1950 G, U R 2,535,749

COMBINED STEAM ENGINE, COMPRESSOR, AND CONTROL THEREFOR Original Filed June 8, 1 943 5 Sheets- Sheet 2 Dec. 26, 1950 H. G. MUELLER 2,535,749

COMBINED STEAM ENGINE, COMPRESSOR, AND CONTROL THEREFOR Original Filed June 8, 1943 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Dec. 26, 1950 COMBINED STEAM ENGINE, COMPRESSOR, AND CONTROL THEREFOR Herman Gundert Mueller, Erie, Pa.

Original application June 8, 1943, Serial No. 490,071. Divided and this application May 10, 1945, Serial No. 593,050

6 Claims.

This invention relates to steam engines and is a division of my copending application Serial Number 490,071, filed June 8, 1943, for Valve Gear for Steam Engines, now abandoned.

An object of thisinvention is to provide in pressor operated thereby, a master control or regulator which is connected to the engine and the output side of the compressor, the master control being so constructed and arranged as to provide for increased engine operation when output pressure drops due to increased demand, and to decrease engine speed when output pressure increases due to decreased demand.

A further" object of this invention is to provide a master control for a steam engine and compressor, which is connected to and operated by a pressure source independent from the engine and compressor, the master control including a regulating means connected to the output side of the compressor so as to regulate the master control operation in accordance with the increased or decreased demand on the output of the compressor, and also including a regulating means connected to the engine valve gear so as to adjust the valve gear and thereby automatically regulate the engine speed according to demand on the compressor.

To the foregoing objects and others which may hereinafter more fully appear, the invention consists of the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts, as will be more specifically referred to and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, but'it is to be understood that changes, variations, and modifications may be resorted to which fall within the scope of the invention as claimed.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of a master control or regulating means constructed according to an embodiment of this invention and com nected with a steam engine and compressor.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary side elevation part- 2 ly broken'away and in section of the valve gear operator.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary side elevation partly broken away and in section of the regulating valve for the valve gear operator.

Figure 4 is a longitudinal section, partly broken away, of the valve gear associated with the steam engine and the control.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary vertical section of the main valve operated by the valve gear.

Referring to the drawing, the numeral Iii designates generally a steam engine and the numeral ll designates a compressor which is connected to and driven directly by the engine [0. The engine l includes an adjustable valve gear structure as disclosed more fully in my copending application Serial Number 490,071, and this valve gear structure is automatically adjusted or operated by means of an adjusting member generally designated as I2.

The adjusting member I2 includes a housing l3, which has mounted therein a diaphragm l4 and a valve gear adjusting rod i is secured to the center of the diaphragm l5, and is connected to the valve gear structure for automatically adjusting the valve gear in accordance with the demand on the compressor I I, as will be hereinafter described.

The diaphragm I4 is constantly urged upwardly by means of a spring l5, which is adapted to adjust the valve gear in one direction when air or fluid pressure in the chamber ll above the diaphragm l4 drops below a predetermined point. The chamber IT has connected thereto a pipe 18 and the pipe I8 is connected at the opposite end thereof to an air pressure tank IS. The pressure of air in tank I9 is maintained at a predetermined pressure by means of a compressor 20, shown diagrammatically in Figure I, which is connected to the tank is by means of a pipe 2|. The compressor may be a conventional compressor, and is operated by means of a power member 22 connected to the compressor 20 by means of a shaft 23.

An automatically operated pressure reducing valve 24 is interposed in the pipe l8 and includes a diaphragm housing 25, having a diaphragm 25 therein with which is connected a valve operating rod 21. A spring 28 is disposed about the rod 21 and bears against the diaphragm 25 so as to adjust the valve 24 in one direction. The diaphragm 26 forms a pressure chamber 29 on the outer side of the diaphragm 26 and a pipe 30 is connected at one end to chamber 29. The opposite end of pipe 30 is connected to a service pipe 3|, which communicates with a manifold 32 connected by pipes 33 to the several compressors H. In the present instance there are three of these compressors disclosed, and it will be understood that the engine In is formed of three cylinders, which may be either thersimple or compound type of engines.

When'pressure increases in the manifold 32 and the service pipe 3| due to decrease in demand for the gas or other fluid compressed by the compressors, this increased pressure will be communicated by pipe 30 to diaphragm chamber 29, thereby flexing diaphragm 26 inwardly and causing a reduction in the air pressure being communicated by pipe l8 from pressure source 9 to diaphragm chamber I! of valve gear operator l2. In the event the gas or fluid pressure in service line 3! should be reduced by increased consumption of the gas or fluid, pipe 30 will communicate the reduced fluid pres- -:sure ato diaphragm chamber 29 of regulating member 24 and spring 23 will move regulating x'r'o'd 2'l-outwardly and thus increase the air pressure by opening valve structure 24 to diaphragm chamber ll. Increased pressure in chamber i1 will cause diaphragm is to flex inwardly and inward flexing of this diaphragm will efiectladjustment of the valve gear structure in a manner toprovideifor increased speed of engine Ill.

In this manner engine It! and compressors H will operate under automatic regulation, the Operation of the engine being dependent on the increase or decreasein the demand for the gas or fluid compressedby the compressors 'H.

In order toprovide for manual operation or regulation of the'valve gear operator i2, I have ..provided 'a shunt pipe 34 which is connected at-one end to the air pressure tank l9, and is "connected at the other end to pipe l8 between reducing valve 24 and valve gear operator l2. A 'three-wayvalve 35 is disposed at the point of connection between pipe 34 with pipe [8, so that when-it is desired to cut off the automatic operation of engine H3, valve '35 may be adjusted to provide for communicating pipe [8 with pipe 34, :and from the latter to 'air tank 19. A pressure :gauge tfi'is interposed in pipe 34, and a second pressure gauge 31 is interposed in pipe 18 between valves 24 and 35. A manually operated valve 38 isrinterposed in pipe 34 between tank 1:9 and gauge 36, so that the pressure commu- 'nicated from tank l9 to regulator or operator I2 may be manually "control-led.

Referring now to Figure 4, there is disclosed the valvegear construction which is regulated by the controlsh'own in Figure '1. An intermediate housing 40 isinterposed between the cylinde-rs and the crankcase of the steam engine and includes a valve gear housing 4! disposed on one-side of and projecting laterally of the intermediate housing 45. A valve gear crankshaft 42 is j'ournaled in the housing il, being driven by driving sprockets 43 at one end of the crankshaft. The crankshaft M has mounted on the inclined offsets 44 thereof connect ing rods lfawhich are connected at their upper ends to sliding crossheads 46. The crossheads A6 have connected thereto an elongated link 4! which :at its upper end is connected to a bellcrank 48 'rockably 'mounted on a bracket 4'9 carried by the cylinder 50. The bellcrank 48 has connected thereto a valve stem for reciprocating the valve upon rocking of the'belb crank- 48 The crankshaft M is .adapted to be shifted pipe .an elongated rod to a centrifugal speed regulator 56.

In'the use and operation of this control means, when the engine It is initially starting operation, valve '35 is turned so as to communicate operator I2 with tank [9, through pipe l8 and pipe 3 Valve 38 is then adjusted to provide for the desired valve gear adjustment through valve gear operator l2. After the engine 10 has started its operation and has picked up sufilcient speed, valve 35 may be turned so as to communicate operator i2 with-tank 19, through It and automatic regulator or reducing valve "24.

In the event that the demand for gas :or :othe

r fluid pressure :compressed by the compressor ll increases, resulting in a decrease-of gas-or fluid pressure in service line 3! andmanifold 32,

this decreased pressure will be communicated to chamber 29 and spring 28 will thereupon flex diaphragm r25 outwardly and adjust the reducing valve structure 24 so as to provide for increased air pressure from tank 19 to operator I2. This increased pressure in chamber ll of operator !2 will move valve-gear adjusting rod 15 inwardly, and inward movement of rod 15 will eiiect adjustment of the valve gear mechanism to provide for increased speed in engine it and similarly increased speed in compressors H.

Where the .demand for gas or fluid pressure decreases, this decreasedvdemand will cause increased pressure in service line 3| and manifold .32, and this increased pressure will be communicated by pipe 30 to diaphragm chamber 29. The increased pressure in chamber 29 will cause diaphragm 26 .to be flexed inwardly and inward movement of diaphragm 26 will cause rod 21 to move inwardly and thereby reduce theair pressure in-line 18, which will act on diaphragm 14. Reduction in pressure in diaphragm chamber I! will permit'spring [6 to flex diaphragm 14 outwardly, and outward flexing of diaphragm 14 will :move rod l5 outwardly in a direction to effect adjustment of the valve gear mechanism to provide'for decreased engine speed.

With a control ineans'for acombined steam engine and compressor unit, as hereinbefore described, the operation of the unit will be offected automatically so that a smooth operation of-the unit will be provided and the necessary pressure generated in the compressor portion of the unit. In the event that for any reason the automatic mechanism hereinbefore described should become ineffective by breakdown in the independent pressure source, or from other causes, the engine Ill may be effectively operated by cutting out the automatic structure through adjustment of the three-way valve 3'5 and subsequent manual adjustment of valve 38.

What I claim is:

.1. In combination'a steam engine, a compressor coupled to and operated by said engine, said engine including a :reciprocable operating valve for effecting the cyclic operation .ofthe engine, valve gear :connected to said valve :for Jreciproeating the latter and for producing the cyclic steam events, means for adjusting said valve gear to thereby vary the reciprocal movement of said valve, said latter means including pressure actuated regulating means connected to the output side of said compressor and said valve gear adjusting means for adjusting said valve gear in accordance with the variation in pressure at the output side of said compressor.

2. The combination with a steam engine having an adjustable valve gear for producing the cyclic steam events in the engine operation and a compressor connected to and operated by said engine, of control means for effecting adjustment of said valve gear, said means comprising a valve gear adjusting member, spring means engageable with said member for operating said member in one direction, pressure operated means engageable with said member for operat ing said member in the opposite direction, a pipe connectin said member to a pressure source, a fluid regulating valve member interposed in said pipe, and a second pipe connecting said regulating member with the output side of said compressor whereby the operation of said regulating member will be effected by the pressure on the output side of said compressor.

3. The combination set forth in claim 2, including a shunt pipe connected to said pressure source and to said first named pipe between said valve gear adjusting member and said regulating member, and a three-way valve at the point of connection between said shunt pipe and said first named pipe.

4. In a steam engine, a cylinder, a piston slidable in said cylinder, a steam chest connected with said cylinder, a reciprocal control valve slidable in said chest and adapted to regulate the admission of steam to said cylinder, crank operated means connected to said valve for effecting reciprocation of said valve, said crank means including hydraulic means connected to said crank means for adjusting the latter to thereby vary the length of movement of said valve, a compressor coupled to said engine, and pressure operated means connected between the output side of said compressor and said hydraulic means whereby the latter will be rendered operative to adjust said crank means in proportion to the pressure at the output side of said compressor.

5. In a steam engine, a cylinder, a piston slidable in said cylinder, a steam chest connected with said cylinder, a reciprocal control valve slidable in said chest and adapted to regulate the admission of steam to said cylinder, crank operated means connected to said valve for effect ing reciprocation of said valve, said crank means including hydraulic means connected to said crank means for adjusting the latter to thereby vary the length of movement of said valve, a compressor coupled to said engine, an auxiliary pressure means connected to said hydraulic means, a pressure operated valve interposed in the connection between said auxiliary means and said hydraulic, and means communicating said latter valve with the output side of said compressor.

6. In combination a steam engine including a cylinder, a piston slidable in said cylinder, a steam chest communicating with said cylinder, a reciprocable control valve slidable in said steam chest, a valve operating crank rotatably disposed at one side of said cylinder and connected to said engine for operation thereby, means connecting said crank with said valve to thereby reciprocate the latter, said crank shaft including offsets inclined to the length, means supporting said crankshaft for endwise adjustment, hydraulic means connected to said crankshaft for effecting endwise adjustment thereof to thereby vary the length of movement of said valve, a compressor coupled to said engine, a pressure means independent of said compressor and engine, means connecting said pressure means with said hydraulic means, a pressure operated regulating valve interposed in said connecting means, and a pipe connecting said latter valve with the output side of said compressor whereby said latter valve will be opened or closed in proportion to the pressure at the output side of said latter valve.

HERMAN GUNDERT MUELLER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

